Calvin Zabo (Earth-11584)
History "You don't understand. She will be mine, no matter what you or she says about the matter." Calvin Zabo is a former chemistry professor at Empire State University turned convicted felon. Born in in Delaware, Zabo was raised by an executive at the DuPont Chemical Company, which is what granted him an early interest in chemistry. He was considered a brilliant, albeit somewhat obsessive student with a keen understanding of chemical reactions, in particular how those chemical reactions would affect biological systems. After graduating from the University of Delaware with his degree in chemistry and obtaining a Masters from Penn State, Zabo did some work at a major pharmaceutical company, but in between jobs he decided to teach at Empire State University. Once there, however, he became immediately obsessed with a colleague in Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Ross. This was despite the fact that Ross was in a relationship with, and then later engaged to, another ESU colleague in Dr. Bruce Banner. Zabo would occasionally make untoward advances towards Ross, increasing once Banner had his accident and disappeared from the scene. However Betty always dismissed them as "harmless", and Zabo was generally regarded by the staff at ESU as creepy, at best. At one point he was disciplined for his behavior, causing Zabo to back off at least temporarily and continue his obsession from afar. Eventually though Betty was engaged again, this time to psychology professor Leonard Samson. Zabo became increasingly desperate to find a way to impress Betty, studying the chemical reactions in Bruce Banner's transformations into the Hulk (using what little data he had access to) and trying to replicate that transformation, thinking that by creating a new Hulk he would be able to win her attention. Overhearing a conversation between Ross and Samson, though, he learned that she was going to see Banner in Nevada. Wanting to see Banner up close for himself, as well as not wanting to lose track of Betty, he decided to follow them. In Nevada, when Banner and his group of friends were confronted by SHIELD, Zabo decided to make his move and try to kidnap Betty. Thinking irrationally, this action is what triggered Bruce's transformation into the Hulk, damaging the town, injuring Bruce's cousin Jennifer Walters and sending the Hulk running off into the desert. Zabo was apprehended and placed into the custody of SHIELD agents for his actions. At the SHIELD base, Zabo met another former colleague in Dr. Samuel Sterns, AKA the Leader, who was acting as a pseudo-scientific advisor on the project. After explaining his theories to Sterns, Zabo was drafted as the Leader's lab assistant and allowed to refine his chemical formulas using data on gamma energy that Sterns had compiled. Eventually, after Banner was apprehended by SHIELD, Sterns gave Zabo a sample of Banner's blood to complete his serum. After Banner escaped thanks to the help of the She-Hulk, Zabo drank the serum and transformed into a brutish creature calling himself Mr. Hyde. Hyde and the Hulk began fighting with each other, consumed by their passions and their anger respectively. Their brawl broke out of the SHIELD base and through the desert, eventually winding up on the outskirts of Las Vegas and into the Strip. The two demolished much of the strip before Zabo was defeated, reverting back to his normal form and being taken back into SHIELD custody. Powers & Abilities * Chemistry Genius: Zabo is an award winning chemist, having done work for major pharmaceutical companies in the past. In fact it has been suggested that the main reason he doesn't seek a higher paying job is his obsession with Betty Ross. * Hyde Serum: After seeing the Hulk's strength up close, Zabo intended on that for himself. With help from the Leader (as well as a dose of Bruce Banner's blood), Zabo was able to create a chemical compound that turned him into the brutish Mr. Hyde, which granted him strength comparable to the Hulk, as he was able to survive a prolonged fight with him through brute strength alone. Weaknesses Zabo's main weakness was his obsession with Betty Ross. This obsession extended into almost every facet of his life, from his work to his daily routine, to the point where he was willing to risk a confrontation with the Hulk in order to kidnap Ross in front of him. Since Ross' death, it is unknown how Zabo's obsession has played out. Film Details Calvin Zabo appears in the following films in the Earth-11584 continuity. In all cases he is portrayed by actor Jason Statham. * The Incredible Hulk 2 (2015) Category:Earth-11584 Category:Earth-11584 Characters Category:Bad Characters